| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Online Auction 198 | Silver | Auction date: 25 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 302 Price realized: 460 EUR (Approx. 497 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Zeno AD 474-491. Constantinople Solidus AV 20 mm, 4,32 g D N ZENO PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly to right, holding spear and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG S, Victory standing facing, head to left, holding long jewelled cross; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. Very Fine RIC X 910 and 929; Depeyrot 108/1. Zeno, the Byzantine Emperor from 474 to his death in 491, faced tumultuous challenges during his rule. Initially known as Tarasicodissa, an Isaurian, he gained prominence by exposing treason within the Roman military. After Emperor Leo I's death in 474, Zenon faced opposition and a brief exile. Returning to power in 476, he successfully navigated through revolts, political maneuvers, and power struggles. Zenon's reign saw intricate foreign policies, maintaining peace with the Sassanids and overseeing the end of the Western Roman Empire in 476 or 480, consolidating his position as the sole ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire. His pragmatic approach to the West involved recognizing Julius Nepos until 480 and establishing diplomatic relations with Geiserich, securing peace in North Africa for over fifty years. However, challenges persisted, including strained relations with the Sassanids, religious conflicts, and attempts to reconcile with Monophysites that led to the Acacian Schism. Zenon's death in 491 marked the end of his era. His wife Ariadne married Flavius Anastasius, who succeeded him as emperor. Despite contemporary portrayals of Zenon as a somewhat weak ruler, his reign stabilized the Eastern Roman Empire, laying the groundwork for Anastasius to consolidate imperial authority and address ongoing challenges. Starting price: 150 EUR |  |
